The present invention relates to a cannula for receiving surgical instruments for performing a surgical procedure on a body, and more specifically, to a surgical tool for use in expanding the cannula.
Endoscopic surgical techniques allow a surgical procedure to be performed on a patient""s body through a relatively small incision in the body and with a limited amount of body tissue disruption. Endoscopic surgery typically utilizes a tubular structure known as a cannula which is inserted into a small incision in the body. The cannula holds the incision open and serves as a conduit extending between the exterior of the body and the local area inside the body where the surgery is to be performed.
Due to the relatively small size of the passage into the body which is defined by the cannula, certain surgical procedures, such as posterior disectomies and procedures using steerable surgical instruments, have been difficult to perform using endoscopic techniques.
The present invention is a surgical tool for use in expanding a cannula. The cannula has an inner surface defining a passage through the cannula for receiving surgical instruments. The surgical tool includes a first leg having a first end engageable with the inner surface of the cannula. A second leg is connected with the first leg. The second leg has a second end engageable with the inner surface of the cannula. The first and second ends are movable away from each other to apply a radially outwardly directed force to the inner surface of the cannula and cause expansion of the cannula.